


can't bring my broken heart to be untrue

by RhymeReason



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: 50's AU, Other, Talk of Character Death, no one dies on screen, this is a fic of a fic lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23642272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RhymeReason/pseuds/RhymeReason
Summary: They didn’t get a lot of visitors in Good Haven but everyone knew what it meant when two men in uniform showed up in town. It meant death and heartbreak, though the two men were not the cause, just the messenger.
Relationships: Kent “parse” parson & William “dex” Poindexter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	can't bring my broken heart to be untrue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [poindextears](https://archiveofourown.org/users/poindextears/gifts).
  * Inspired by [love finds you](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22089940) by [hockeysometimes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hockeysometimes/pseuds/hockeysometimes), [poindextears](https://archiveofourown.org/users/poindextears/pseuds/poindextears). 



> hey!! this is a fic of a fic bc im a little fool lmao. please enjoy this!!!

_ November 1950 _

Something felt weird when Kenny woke up. When he sat up in his bed, he didn’t see anything different, just his usual bedroom decor and the sound of his Mama snoring in the next room. The only thing out of place was the hands on his clock showing three am instead of five, when he usually woke up.

It was strange. It felt big. 

Kenny shrugged and laid back down. He fell back asleep and didn’t think about it.

*

On slow days, Mama sometimes let Kenny work the cash register downstairs. He was still a little bit too short to reach it comfortably for long periods of time, despite being fifteen (not everyone can grow four inches in a single summer,  _ Will _ ), so he sat on his big stool and watched the usuals come and go. It was everything as usual until it wasn’t.

They didn’t get a lot of visitors in Good Haven but everyone knew what it meant when two men in uniform showed up in town. It meant death and heartbreak, though the two men were not the cause, just the messenger. 

There were only a few people in the diner besides Kenny, his mom and Georgia, the cook but they all stopped when the bell on the door chimed, showing the two men in pressed Navy uniforms. Nearly all the men in town were enlisted, but Kenny only knew of one who was in the Navy. His stomach dropped down to his toes. If Kenny was a different person, he would’ve prayed.

“Hello,” the first man said. He took a step forward. “We are a little lost and are trying to find our way. Could anyone give us directions to the Poindexter farm?”

There was a collective intake of breath. Kenny whipped his head to stare at his mother behind the bar. She had her eyes closed and was taking a long, low breath. Her hands were moving along the dish towel in her hand like it was her rosary, a prayer for each bead. It only lasted a moment before she opened her eyes again. “I can show ya the way.”

“Mama-”

“Give me a moment, Kenny.” She cut him off. She looked around at her patrons. “Folks, I’m gonna ask that you head on out for today. Don’t worry about your tab, you can come on back and settle it in a few days, alright?”

There was a soft chorus of “Yes, Annie”s before all of the customers gathered up their coats and jackets and filed out the door, single file past the men in uniform. None of them made eye contact with the men.

“George?” His mom called. “Can you shut this place down for me for the day?”

“Yes ma’am. Leave it to me.” Georgia nodded. “Tell Junior and Mary that I’m praying for them, okay?”

“Of course, George. We all will be tonight.” She set down her rag and looked over at Kenny. “Come on, Kenny. Those two are going to need all the love they can get today.”

“Yes, Mama.”

He followed his mama out the door, not listening as she told the men that she would lead them through the winding roads up to the Poindexter Farm. All Kenny could think about was Will, and how much he looked up to his father. Will looked at his Pa like he had strung the stars in the sky and Kenny knew how much his father loved him in return.

Kenny stopped. Loved. In the past tense. Because Willam Poindexter Sr was dead and Will would never get to see his Pa again.

*

When they made it to the farm, Mama let the men go in front of them as she idled at the end of the driveway. Kenny didn’t look at her but she heard his unvoiced question.

“They deserve to hear this news in private. Once it’s done then we’ll go up there and help them put their world back together.” Her voice was soft and sad, the same voice she used whenever Kenny was a kid and he asked her genuinely about his father. There was no anger in it, just a lot of sadness and a deep bitterness that lived in a woman who had seen as much heartbreak as his mama had. 

“We aren’t gonna be able to fix it.” He said

“No, but we can help right now. Only time can fix this big of a mess, Kenny. ” She tightened her grip on the steering wheel as the men’s big fancy car came back down the dirt driveway. She nodded at them as they went by and then threw their car into drive and started up the driveway.

When they reached the top, the front door to the house was still open, but there was no one standing in the doorway. Mama wasted no time in getting out of the car and rushing up to the front door. Kent followed her.

The first thing Kenny heard was the sound of crying coming from the living room. It was soft and heartbreaking. It sounded like Mary.

His mom stopped for just a moment in the doorway. She took a large breath and rolled up her sleeves, just like she always did when Old Jeremiah Porter came into the diner reeking of whiskey and looking for a fight at one in the afternoon. She would always talk him into leaving, her words hard but loving. 

Kenny was pretty sure that his mama was the strongest person in the world.

“Mary.” His mama walked into the room and went to her friend. Mary Poindexter was on the couch, just holding herself as she sobbed softly. On the side table there was a box and a folded American flag. Will wasn’t in the room.

“Annie.” Mary sobbed and reached out for her friend. “William is-, Will-”

“Shh, Mary.” Annie hugged her close. “I know,sweetheart. I know. Mary, where’s Junior?”

“I- I don't-” She interrupted herself with a watery hiccup. “He ran off, outside, I don’t-”

“Kent.” His mom looked up at him.“Go find Junior, okay? Give him time,make sure he’s okay and bring him back here, alright? We’ll be havin’ dinner here.”

“Yes ma’am.” Kenny turned heel and ran for the backdoor.

Will was his best friend and had been since they were kids. Kenny knew him inside and out, so, despite everything going on, Kenny was pretty sure he knew exactly where Will was.

Even running at full tilt, it took him a while to reach the pond. But Will was there, curled up in the grass, his flannel pulled tight around him as he cried.

“Hey Will,” Kenny said softly. He sat down beside him and reached out his arms. “C'mere.”

Will fell into the hug and Kenny just held his best friend tightly as he cried.

*

The watch on his wrist told Kenny that nearly an hour had passed before Will stopped crying. When he finally pulled his face out of Kenny’s shirt, his eyes were puffy and his hair was a mess but he looked marginably calmer. 

“You okay?” Kenny asked. He knew it was a stupid question but it was the only one he could find the words for. How do you comfort your best friend who’s dad had just died in a war?

“No.” Will answered honestly. “I don't think I’m ever going to be okay.”

“Mama always said that time helps with everything.”

“I don’t want time!” Will burst. Kenny didn’t take it personally. He knew that it wasn’t him Will was angry at. “I just want my Pa!”

“I know Will, I know.” Kenny hugged him tight again. “And it’s fucking horrible. I’m so sorry.”

“I miss him, Kenny.” Will’s voice sounded like he wanted to cry but had just run out of tears. “I miss him.”

“He’ll always be with you.” Kenny whispered. “Your Pa loved you so much. He’ll be with you forever, Will, don't you know that?”

“It just won’t be the same.”

“You’re right. But you know what your pa would want you to do?”

“What?”

“Go back to your house and have dinner with me and mama and your ma.” Kenny elbowed him softly and gave him a slightly forced smile. “This don’t change the fact that you have no meat on ya.”

“Fuck you, Kenny.” Will shoved him but his lips were upticked the slightest amount, so Kenny counted it as a win. 

He stood up and grabbed Will’s hand to pull him up too. About halfway back to the house, Will stopped again and just looked at Kenny. 

“What are you looking at me for?”

“Thanks for coming and getting me, Kent.”

Kenny shook his head. “I’ll always come find you, Dexy. Don’t be stupid.No c’mon, lets go eat. I’m starving”

Will rolled his eyes and they walked back to the house, shoulders bumping. Things weren’t okay, not anywhere near, but they would get there one day. 

**Author's Note:**

> check,please is still my life so if you have any requests or thoughts or anything, send them on over to @bitsfordays on tumblr!


End file.
